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SHU gets cameo in PBS special

Seton Hill University (SHU) will be featured on the Public Broadcasting Service’s (PBS) Nightly Business Report. The program is a four-part special on the business of college football.

“They chose Seton Hill as an example of a small school that had just started a football program,” said Becca Baker, the associate director of media relations.

By Kayla Sawyer

Online Editor

Seton Hill University (SHU) will be featured on the Public Broadcasting Service’s (PBS) Nightly Business Report. The program is a four-part special on the business of college football.

“They chose Seton Hill as an example of a small school that had just started a football program,” said Becca Baker, the associate director of media relations.

“It’s good that we get some publicity, but it would have been nice if it was about something academic,” said Elyse Schneider, a junior.

Another aspect that interested PBS was how SHU partners with the local community by playing their football games at the Offutt Field in downtown Greensburg.

The other school that will be featured, Texas Tech University, is an example of a large school with a big football program.

PBS Nightly Business Report correspondent Jeff Yastine and photojournalist Mike Malanga were on campus from October 4 to October 6, filming interviews, campus footage, and the Homecoming football game.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Seton Hill,” said Baker. “The representatives from PBS couldn’t have been nicer to work with.”

Some students expressed their opinions about PBS putting the spotlight on the SHU football team:

“I don’t like it,” said Sarah Buffo, a junior. “The school used to be academically focused, and now it’s just about football. There are so many other things that we could be recognized for.”

“The football team is such a small part of who we are,” said Danielle Lukasewycz, a junior.

Baker said that the air date would be announced to the SHU community as soon as the information is available, and that they believe the episode will air in mid-November. The Nightly Business Report airs locally on WQED at 7 p.m. on weekdays.

“Although our segment will only last for a few minutes, the PBS team went to great lengths to capture as much of the daily life of Seton Hill as possible (classrooms, art students, music performances, etc.) in order to show how football fits into the larger mission of the school,” said Baker.

“Football is a big deal, whether people like it or not. It’s new and people want to hear about it,” said Eric Yagoda, a senior. “SHU has been around for 100 years and this is the biggest new thing to happen.”